This Application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 98-20099 filed May 30, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor package and a method of fabricating the same. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for providing a more degree of freedom in designing a semiconductor package and improving a reliability of the package.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a column lead type semiconductor package having leads buried in an insulator is widely used in the semiconductor industry because it is endurable to physical impacts and the leads are not bent by the exterior force. A background art column lead type semiconductor package will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
The background art column lead semiconductor package is illustrated as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of the background art semiconductor package along with the line II-IIxe2x80x2 of FIG. 1. In the background art column lead semiconductor package, an insulator 10 is formed using a molding compound, and lead bars 11 are formed to be exposed at upper and lower surface of the insulator 10. A semiconductor chip 12 is attached to the upper surface of the insulator 10 by a polyamide adhesive, and a plurality of bonding pads (not shown) are formed on the upper surface. The bonding pads are connected to predetermined parts of the lead bars 11 with corresponding wires 13, and the wires 13 and the semiconductor chip 12 are protected by a molding compound coating 14.
A fabrication method of the background art column lead type semiconductor chip package will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D.
In FIG. 3A, a semiconductor package substrate is fabricated with a plurality of lead bars 11 buried in an insulator 10. The lead bars 11 are exposed at upper and lower surface of the insulator 10. To form such a semiconductor package substrate, thin metal conductive plates which will be the lead bars supported by predetermined supporting members are put in a frame. A liquid molding compound is then filled and hardened in the frame. The frame is removed and a formed structure is sliced, thereby completing the semiconductor package.
Referring to FIG. 3B, a center portion of the semiconductor package substrate of FIG. 1 is grinded to form a recess 12a. 
Next, in FIG. 3C, a semiconductor chip 12 is attached onto the recess 12a and pads (not shown) formed on a marginal portion of the semiconductor chip 12 are connected with a predetermined portion of each of the lead bars 11 by wires 13.
In FIG. 3D, the wires 13, the recess 12a, and the semiconductor chip 12 are protected by a molding compound coating 14.
As described above, the semiconductor chip having the pads connected to the lead bars by the corresponding wires formed on the center portion is called a center pad type semiconductor chip. Since the center pad type semiconductor chip has the chips on the center portion, it provides a more degree of freedom in designing comparing to the other types of semiconductor chips.
However, it is difficult to apply the background art column lead type semiconductor package to a packaging of the center pad type semiconductor chip. Specifically, when pads are formed on a center portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor chip, each pad is considerably apart from the corresponding lead bar. As a result, a wiring process is much difficult to be accomplished.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor package and a method of fabricating the same that substantially obviates of the related art.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a column lead type semiconductor package includes a frame-type insulator having a penetrating portion in a center thereof, a semiconductor package substrate having a plurality of lead bars which are laid in the insulator at both sides of the penetrating portion, being exposed at upper and lower surfaces of the insulator, and each lead bar has a xe2x80x9c┐xe2x80x9d shape having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, a semiconductor chip of which an upper marginal portion is attached to lower surfaces of the horizontal legs of the lead bars and an upper center portion has a plurality of pads, a plurality of wires connecting each pad and a predetermined upper portion of the vertical leg of each lead bar, and an upper cover protecting the wires, the pads and an upper surface of the semiconductor chip.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a column lead type semiconductor package includes the steps of fabricating a semiconductor package substrate having a frame-type insulator provided with a penetrating portion thereof and a plurality of lead bars which are laid in the insulator formed at both sides of the penetrating portion, being exposed at upper and lower surfaces of the insulator, and each lead bar has a xe2x80x9c┐xe2x80x9d shape having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg; attaching an upper marginal portion of a semiconductor chip of which an upper center portion has a plurality of pads thereon to lower surfaces of the horizontal legs of the lead bars; connecting each pad and a predetermined upper portion of each lead bar by wires; and protecting the wires an upper surface of the semiconductor chip.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a column lead type semiconductor package includes the steps of fabricating a semiconductor package substrate comprised of the sub-steps of placing a plurality of metal bars in a frame, fabricating a column by hardening an epoxy resin in the frame, forming a penetrating portion in a center portion of the column, fabricating a column unit by cutting the column at predetermined thickness and forming a recess in an inner side of each column, in the step each of the metal bars is consequently transformed to a xe2x80x9c┐xe2x80x9d shape; attaching an upper marginal portion of a semiconductor chip of which an upper center portion has a plurality of pads thereon to lower surfaces of horizontal legs of the lead bars; connecting each pad and a predetermined upper portion of each lead bar by wires; and protecting the wires an upper surface of the semiconductor chip.
In another aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor package includes a semiconductor package substrate having a frame type insulator which has a penetrating portion in a center portion of the substrate and a plurality of lead bars exposed to upper and lower surfaces of the insulator, a semiconductor chip on the semiconductor package substrate, an upper surface of the semiconductor chip being attached to the lead bars, a plurality of pads on a center portion of an upper surface of the semiconductor chip, a plurality of wires respectively connecting the pads with an upper surface of the lead bars, and an upper cover protecting the wires, the pads and an upper surface of the semiconductor chip.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a semiconductor package, comprising the steps of forming a semiconductor package substrate having a frame-type insulator which has a penetrating portion in a center of the semiconductor package substrate and a plurality of leads buried in both circumferential surfaces of the insulator at both sides of the penetrating portion, attaching an upper surface of a semiconductor chip having a plurality of pads on a center portion to lower surfaces of the leads, connecting the pads with upper surfaces of the corresponding leads by wires, and forming an upper cover to protect the wires, the pads, and an upper surface of the semiconductor chip.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a semiconductor package, comprising the steps of forming a semiconductor package substrate having a frame-type insulator which has a penetrating portion in a center of the semiconductor package substrate and a plurality of leads buried in both circumferential surfaces of the insulator at both sides of the penetrating portion, attaching an upper surface of a semiconductor chip on a center portion to lower surfaces of the leads using a conductive adhesive, and forming an upper cover to protect an upper surface of the semiconductor chip.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide and further explanation of the invention as claimed.